Machete pair jailed for Co-op robbery (From The Argus)

Machete pair jailed for Co-op robbery

7:11pm Tuesday 14th August 2012 in News

Two men who held a machete to a shop manager’s throat during a robbery have been jailed.

James Stanton and Dean Hardman, both 33, stole a van before raiding the Pagham Co-op in West Sussex.

The pair along with another unidentified man broke into Bruce Dixon Van Hire in Bognor on January 28 this year.

They then drove the vehicle down to the Pagham store before threatening the manager with a large machete.

Chichester Crown Court heard that the blade was held to the manager's throat before he was told to ''open the safe or die''.

Over £2,000 was stolen before the pair made off in the van.

Stanton of Winston Crescent, Bognor, was given a seven year sentence while Hardman, of Flemming Court, Bognor, was handed a seven month term.

Detective Constable Jon Tizzard, said: "Stanton's seven year sentence sends out a clear message that being involved in a robbery of this nature which had a huge impact on the victim will not be tolerated.

"Once again I would like to thank the Co-op manager who showed immense bravery when confronted and threatened with a machete and who stayed with the investigation all the way through a difficult trial."